The chorus of Republicans condemning Roy Moore grew louder on Tuesday as House speaker Paul Ryan said the controversial Alabama Senate nominee “should step aside” following new allegations of sexual misconduct.

The chorus of Republicans condemning Roy Moore grew louder on Tuesday as the House speaker, Paul Ryan, said the controversial Alabama Senate nominee “should step aside” following new allegations of sexual misconduct.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday Ryan, the most senior Republican in Congress, said that if Moore “cares about the values and the people who claims to care about, then he should step aside”.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday Ryan, the most senior Republican in Congress, said that if Moore “cares about the values and the people who he claims to care about, then he should step aside”.

Ryan joins a number of leading Republicans who have said that Moore, the party’s standard bearer in next month’s special election for the US Senate in Alabama, should withdraw from the race after multiple allegations that he sexually assaulted underage women, which he denies.

Ryan joins a number of leading Republicans who have said that Moore, the party’s standard bearer in next month’s special election for the US Senate in Alabama, should withdraw from the race after multiple allegations about his relations with teenage girls, which he denies.

In 2005, Moore said: “Homosexual conduct should be illegal.” In an interview televised on C-Span, Moore added: “It is immoral. It is defined by the law as detestable.” During a debate in September 2017, he went out of his way to bemoan the fact that “sodomy [and] sexual perversion sweep the land”.

In 2005, Moore said: “Homosexual conduct should be illegal.” In an interview televised on C-Span, Moore added: “It is immoral. It is defined by the law as detestable.” During a debate in September 2017, he went out of his way to bemoan the fact that “sodomy [and] sexual perversion sweep the land”.

In a speech in February, Moore appeared to suggest that the terrorist attacks of September 11 were the result of divine retribution against the United States and prophesized in the Book of Isaiah. In comments first reported by CNN, Moore quoted Isaiah 30:12-13, saying: “Because you have despised His word and trust in perverseness and oppression, and say thereon ... therefore this iniquity will be to you as a breach ready to fall, swell out in a high wall, whose breaking cometh suddenly at an instance.” Moore then noted: “Sounds a little bit like the Pentagon, whose breaking came suddenly at an instance, doesn’t it?” He added: “If you think that’s coincidence, if you go to verse 25: ‘There should be up on every high mountain and upon every hill, rivers and streams of water in the day of the great slaughter when the towers will fall.’"

In a speech in February, Moore appeared to suggest that the terrorist attacks of September 11 were the result of divine retribution against the United States and prophesized in the Book of Isaiah. In comments first reported by CNN, Moore quoted Isaiah 30:12-13, saying: “Because you have despised His word and trust in perverseness and oppression, and say thereon ... therefore this iniquity will be to you as a breach ready to fall, swell out in a high wall, whose breaking cometh suddenly at an instance.” Moore then noted: “Sounds a little bit like the Pentagon, whose breaking came suddenly at an instance, doesn’t it?” He added: “If you think that’s coincidence, if you go to verse 25: ‘There should be up on every high mountain and upon every hill, rivers and streams of water in the day of the great slaughter when the towers will fall.’"

In an interview with the Guardian in August, Moore praised Putin for his views on gay rights. “Maybe Putin is right. Maybe he’s more akin to me than I know.” The comments came after Moore suggested the United States could be described as “the focus of evil in the world” because “we promote a lot of bad things”. Moore specifically named gay marriage as one of those “bad things”.

In an interview with the Guardian in August, Moore praised Putin for his views on gay rights. “Maybe Putin is right. Maybe he’s more akin to me than I know.” The comments came after Moore suggested the United States could be described as “the focus of evil in the world” because “we promote a lot of bad things”. Moore specifically named gay marriage as one of those “bad things”.

At a rally earlier in September, Moore talked about “reds and yellows fighting” while discussing racial division in the United States. Moore justified this on Twitter by citing lyrics from the song Jesus Loves the Little Children. He wrote “Red, yellow, black and white they are precious in His sight. Jesus loves the little children of the world. This is the Gospel.”

At a rally earlier in September, Moore talked about “reds and yellows fighting” while discussing racial division in the United States. Moore justified this on Twitter by citing lyrics from the song Jesus Loves the Little Children. He wrote “Red, yellow, black and white they are precious in His sight. Jesus loves the little children of the world. This is the Gospel.”

In 2006, Moore condemned a proposal for a national ID system for animals as “more identifiable with communism than free enterprise”. The proposal received attention after a cow in Alabama had been diagnosed with mad cow disease. Moore, who was then running for governor, was skeptical that the outbreak was real. Instead, Moore suggested it was a ruse intended to promote the tracking system.

In 2006, Moore condemned a proposal for a national ID system for animals as “more identifiable with communism than free enterprise”. The proposal received attention after a cow in Alabama had been diagnosed with mad cow disease. Moore, who was then running for governor, was skeptical that the outbreak was real. Instead, Moore suggested it was a ruse intended to promote the tracking system.

He joins Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell and a number of Senators, one of whom, Jeff Flake of Arizona, has urged a vote for Moore’s Democratic opponent as preferable to the Alabama Republican.

He joins Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell, and a number of senators, one of whom, Jeff Flake of Arizona, has urged a vote for Moore’s Democratic opponent as preferable to the Alabama Republican.

Moore has long been a controversial figure. He was twice removed as chief justice of the Alabama supreme court for defying court orders. First in 2003 over his insistence that a Ten Commandments monument be placed on the grounds of the state judicial building, and then in 2016 for attempting to defy the US supreme court ruling legalizing same sex marriage. The result was that only a handful of senators explicitly backed his candidacy even after Moore clinched the nomination. Of those, only Rand Paul of Kentucky has yet to withdraw his support.

Moore has long been a controversial figure. He was twice removed as chief justice of the Alabama supreme court for defying court orders. First in 2003 over his insistence that a Ten Commandments monument be placed on the grounds of the state judicial building, and then in 2016 for attempting to defy the US supreme court ruling legalizing same sex marriage. The result was that only a handful of senators explicitly backed his candidacy even after Moore clinched the nomination. Of those, only Rand Paul of Kentucky has yet to withdraw his support.

Moore is seeking to fill the Senate seat vacated by Jeff Sessions, who was appointed by Trump to serve as attorney general.

Moore is seeking to fill the Senate seat vacated by Jeff Sessions, who was appointed by Trump to serve as attorney general.

Sessions suggested on Tuesday he believed the women who have come forward to speak out against Moore, but stopped short of weighing in on how his department would approach the matter should Moore be elected.

Sessions suggested on Tuesday he believed the women who have come forward to speak out against Moore, but stopped short of weighing in on how his department would approach the matter should Moore be elected.

“I have no reason to doubt these young women,” Sessions said during a hearing before the House judiciary committee on oversight of the Department of Justice.

“I have no reason to doubt these young women,” Sessions said during a hearing before the House judiciary committee on oversight of the Department of Justice.

Asked by Representative Sheila Jackson Lee, a Democrat from Texas, if the DOJ would investigate the allegations, Sessions said they would typically constitute a case at the state level.

Asked by Representative Sheila Jackson Lee, a Democrat from Texas, if the DoJ would investigate the allegations, Sessions said they would typically constitute a case at the state level.

“We will evaluate every case as to whether or not it should be investigated,” Sessions said, while adding he had been told by the ethics team at the DOJ not to engage politically in the Alabama Senate campaign given it previously held the same seat.

“We will evaluate every case as to whether or not it should be investigated,” Sessions said, while adding he had been told by the ethics team at the DoJ not to engage politically in the Alabama Senate campaign given that he previously held the same seat.

“They advised me that the attorney general should not be involved in this campaign,” Sessions said.

“They advised me that the attorney general should not be involved in this campaign,” Sessions said.

He nonetheless added that if Moore were to win and a case was brought to the DoJ, “We will do our duty.”

He nonetheless added that if Moore were to win and a case was brought to the DoJ, “We will do our duty.”

On Tuesday Beverly Young Nelson alleged Moore sexually assaulted her when she was 16.

On Tuesday Beverly Young Nelson alleged Moore sexually assaulted her when she was 16.

Nelson said that Moore physically attacked her in a car, grabbing her breasts and trying to force her head down on to his crotch.

Nelson said that Moore physically attacked her in a car, grabbing her breasts and trying to force her head down on to his crotch.

“I thought he was going to rape me,” said Nelson.

“I thought he was going to rape me,” said Nelson.

Nelson’s statement follows a Washington Post report last week that the Moore had had sexual contact with a 14-year-old girl and pursued three other teenagers decades earlier when he was in his 30s.

Nelson’s statement follows a Washington Post report last week that the Moore had had sexual contact with a 14-year-old girl and pursued three other teenagers decades earlier when he was in his 30s.

Moore denied the new accusations. “I can tell you without hesitation this is absolutely false,” Moore told a crowd in Gallant, Alabama. “I never did what she said I did. I don’t even know the woman. I don’t know anything about her. I don’t know where the restaurant is or was.”

Moore denied the new accusations. “I can tell you without hesitation this is absolutely false,” Moore told a crowd in Gallant, Alabama. “I never did what she said I did. I don’t even know the woman. I don’t know anything about her. I don’t know where the restaurant is or was.”

Nelson presented a high school yearbook at her press conference she claimed had been signed and dated by Moore.

Nelson presented a high school yearbook at her press conference she claimed had been signed and dated by Moore.